"No; no one at all. We are here all by ourselves aft and who is there
that would want to listen to us?"

"Redbeard and my uncle, but they are in the cabin, drinking and
gambling as usual. Last night, you know, Peppo had toothache all night
and couldn't sleep, so this afternoon I took his place in the kitchen
while he went up to have a nap in his hammock. He just came and told
me that he had overheard Redbeard plotting some dreadful thing against
us. Peppo couldn't understand it all, but he got this much, that at
the island to which we are coming today, or at the latest tomorrow
morning, he is going to send you ashore for drinking water. He has let
the water leak out of the casks. 'When Green goes ashore,' he said, 'I
haven't a doubt in the world but that the young one, who stands in your
way, will want to go with him, and the little Chinaman, whom I do not
trust, will also want to go--We can just send them, even if you don't
hanker after this plan. And--well--if they don't come back, why the
wild Soloman Islanders will know what to do with them.' Peppo heard
the first officer say this."

"Oh, the traitor!" said Green. "And so he is going to furnish the
cannibals with a nice juicy stew for their pots, is he? And pray tell,
what did that nice uncle of yours, the Captain, say to all this?"

"At first he would not listen to a word of it; then Redfox threatened
him with something which Peppo could not understand, and at last he
said, 'Oh, you are my bad angel. I am in your power. Do what you
must, but I won't have any part in it.'"

"Pontius Pilate made similar remarks when he gave Our Lord over to
death, but handwashing of that sort is of no use. As for the rest you
are right. Redfox is the chief sinner and forces the Captain into
things which he would never think of doing otherwise.--But what are we
to do? Here we are helpless in the power of these monsters. We might
give them over to the authorities at the first port at which we touch,
but the trouble with that plan comes in just here: Gray will not listen
to or believe what that little Chinaman says. It couldn't be done
without a life and death struggle. I must win over the Chinamen--and
if I fail, by so much as a hair-breadth, I'll go to the gallows as a
rebel.--And yet--I must risk my life for you as well as for the rest of
us. Quick, bring your little friend here. I'll tell him what to say
to the men in the steerage. They will be on our side f